In Mexico, the Adenophyllum aurantium (L.) Strother plant is consumed as an infusion to treat intestinal diseases such as amoebiasis, which is an endemic health problem in Mexico and other countries. However, the effect of A. aurantium on Entamoeba histolytica, the causative agent of amoebiasis, is unknown. An aerial part methanolic extract (AaMeA), a root methanolic extract (AaMeR) and a root ethyl acetate extract (AaEaR) were tested on E. histolytica trophozoites. AaMeA and AaMeR did not show antiproliferative activity; however, AaEaR exhibited an in vitro GI50 of 230 μg/ml, and it was able to inhibit the differentiation of Entamoeba invadens trophozoites into cysts. The intraperitoneal administration of AaEaR (2.5 or 5 mg) to hamsters that were infected with E. histolytica inhibited the development of amoebic liver abscesses in 48.5 or 89.0% of the animals, respectively. Adhesion to fibronectin and erythrophagocytosis were 28.7 and 37.5% inhibited by AaEaR, respectively. An ultrastructure analysis of AaEaR-treated trophozoites shows a decrease in the number of vacuoles but no apparent cell damage. Moreover, this extract affected the actin cytoskeleton structuration, and it prevented the formation of contractile rings by mechanism(s) that were independent of reactive oxygen species and RhoA activation pathways. 13C NMR data showed that the major compounds in the AaEaR extract are thiophenes. Our results suggest that AaEaR may be effective in treatments against amoebiasis, nevertheless, detailed toxicity studies on thiophenes, contained in AaEaR, are required to avoid misuse of this vegetal species.

A major threat for bananas and plantains production is the Panama Disease or Fusarium Wilt caused by Fusarium oxysporum f. sp. cubense. In order to characterize the causal agents of Fusarium wilt in Mexico, a sampling was performed in symptomatic plantains growing in fields of Oaxaca, a coastal southern state of Mexico. A phylogenetic analysis based on the sequences of TEF 1-α and IGS revealed that three isolates belonged to the Fusarium oxysporum species complex, while two other isolates were identified as members of the Fusarium fujikuroi species complex. Furthermore, isolates from the same complex shared the same ITS2 sequence. Inoculation using spores of each isolate on the roots of Musa sp. AAB cv. Manzano produced wilting symptoms of varying severity, suggesting that the Fusarium wilt might not be caused only by Fusarium oxysporum f. sp. cubense. PCR-based detection of Secreted in Xylem (SIX) genes showed that each Fusarium isolate harbored a unique combination of genes typically found in banana pathogens, which might cause the disease.

Objetivo. Estimar la prevalencia de parásitos potencialmente zoonóticos en heces caninas de Puerto Escondido. Material y métodos. La ciudad se dividió en diez zonas de estudio y éstas se categorizaron en hábitats natural, urbano y suburbano. Se colectaron muestras fecales caninas del piso. Se recuperaron los parásitos por medio de técnicas coproparasitológicas de flotación y frotis directo para su observación microscópica y posterior identificación. Se estimó la prevalencia parasitaria en las heces caninas. Resultados. Todas las zonas presentaron fecalismo canino. La prevalencia parasitaria fue de 73.33%. Los parásitos con mayor prevalencia fueron Toxocara canis (47.78%), Ancylostoma caninum (17.88%) y Dipylidium caninum (13.89%). Conclusión. El fecalismo canino proviene de perros errantes y con dueño. Del total de parásitos encontrados, 66.66% son zoonóticos. Los factores que favorecen la problemática son el hábitat suburbano, el manejo indeseable de la basura y la tenencia irresponsable de los cánidos.

Several applications of natural products around the world arise from traditional knowledge or evident organoleptic properties, and essential oils from Salvia species are a current example. The genus is integrated by native and endemic species from Africa, the Americas, Asia, and Europe. In the present work, essential oil compositions of Salvia dugesii and S. gesneriiflora were experimentally determined and statistically correlated with ten described Salvia species from four continents by using multivariate methods complemented with univariate analysis and PCA protocols, to establish metabolic approaches. Essential oils data from S. angulata, S. miltiorrhiza, S. plebeia, S. sclarea, S. argentea, S. viridis, S. lavandulifolia, S. africana-lutea, S. chamelaeagnea, and S. officinalis were included in the study. By the above, 146 essential oil components, classified into 29 structural skeletons, according to its biogenesis, were analyzed. The results provided metabolic similarities between American and Asian Salvia species due to a higher active sesquiterpene metabolism; and African and European species revealed chemical similarities, since monoterpene pathways dominate. Such correlations are in concordance with genetic knowledge about genus, thereby, approaches on metabolism of Salvia can be easily visualized using statistical tools, consequently, practical method to analyze Salvias for scientific proposes.